Her Dearest Secret

I - Shitty Valentine

Veronica's POV

I woke up when I felt someone shook my shoulder. Sht. Naka-tulog pala ako while eating my breakfast. Umayos na lang ako ng upo before I continued eating.

"Hey, Veronica, I said your phone's ringing." Veera, my twin sister said.

"Ha?" I looked at my phone. "Ay oo nga."

I answered the call and a deep but sweet voice greeted me.

"Good Morning, Love. Happy Valentine's."

I gasped mentally? V-day ba ngayon? Bakit nakalimutan ko?

"A-Ah. . . Happy Valentine's, Love."

"Napuyat ka ba? I'm sorry. I just can't stop talking to you last night, inumaga tuloy tayo."

"Love, that's okay. I enjoyed talking to you naman. Hindi ka pa nawawalan ng topic." I chuckled.

That's one of the things that I like about Brian. Hindi naman siya madaldal na tao pero pag kausap mo siya, talagang hindi ka mabo-bore.

"So ano, I'll pick you up, okay? Isasabay ko na kayo ni Veera pagpasok."

"Hmm... wag na lang, love. Ihahatid naman kami ng driver namin. Tsaka baka ma-late ka pa 'pag dumaan ka dito."

"I insist. And, love, I really want to see you. So, please? Susunduin kita ha?"

The tone of his voice made me smile. Ganyan kasi siya 'pag may gusto, nagpapa-cute. I bet naka-pout pa siya ngayon.

"Okay, okay. Sige na nga. Mag-ingat ka sa pagda-drive mo."

"I will, love. Pakakasalan pa kita eh."

My smile vanished at that. Yes, he said it jokingly but I know that he meant it. Alam ko kung gaano niya ako kamahal and I know that he wants to end up with me. But me. . . I feel like I'm not sure.

"Hey, love. You still there?"

"Y-Yeah. Sige na, I'll hang up. Bye. Love you." I ended the call immediately. Baka kung ano pang masabi niya.

I turned to my sister.

"Veera, Brian said that he's going to pick us up, isasabay niya na daw tayo pag-pasok."

"O, tapos ano? Mapapanood ko na naman kayong mag-landian?" She retorted. "Ayoko na ah! Kagabi pa kayong dalawa!"

"Eh dali na kasi. Ayoko 'pag kaming dalawa lang."

"At bakit ha? Tsaka ikaw lang talagang gustong ihatid no'n. Isasama niya lang ako para magpa-good shot siya kay Tatay."

"He's not like that! He's nice, Veera. Tsaka good shot naman talaga siya kay Tatay because he's smart and decent." I defended my boyfriend. Baliw naman kasi 'tong si Veera, ang daming alam.

"Okay, fine. Siya na ang perfect boyfriend. Basta ayokong sumabay."

"Veera, naman--"

Naputol ang sasabihin ko nang bigla siyang tumayo at nagmadaling kunin ang mga gamit niya.

"Bye, twinnie! Una na'ko!" She shouted at umuna na ngang lumabas.

I sighed. Bakit ba ang tigas ng ulo ni Veera?!

●●●

Like what he said, sinundo ako ni Brian kanina. He even asked kung nasaan si Veera, I just said na nauna na. Hinatid niya pa ako hanggang sa first class ko kaya ayun, halos tumakbo tuloy siya papunta sa building nila para maabutan din ang first class niya.

Mabilis naman lumipas ang oras. Kakatapos lang ng last class ko ngayon at nagulat ako when I saw Brian na hinihintay ako sa labas ng classroom namin.

"O, why are you here?"

"Ah, I waited for you. May pupuntahan tayo, love."

"Ha? Sige, wait lang. Si Veera kasi--"

"Love, I already told Veera na may date tayo ngayon kaya pinauna ko na siya pauwi. Sinundo siya ng driver niyo."

"Ah, okay. San pala tayo pupunta?"

"Basta. Tara na?"

I nodded at him. He held my hand habang papunta kami sa parking lot. Pinagtitinginan ka kami while we're walking.

Marami kasing nagkaka-gusto kay Brian dito sa school namin. Bukod kasi sa gwapo siya, he's smart and nice din. Nung una nga, akala ko maraming magagalit sa akin nung sinagot ko siya. But I was wrong. Marami pa ngang natuwa then they said na "shipper" daw namin sila. Pero syempre marami pa ring naiinis.

Hinanap ako kung nasan ang kotse niya sa parking lot. But he showed me a bike instead.

"Whoa! Dito tayo sasakay?" Naka-ngiting tanong ko sa kanya.

Hindi kasi ako marunong mag-bike kaya nae-excite ako 'pag may nag-aangkas sa akin.

"Yup. I knew that you would love it." He rode the bike then pinaupo niya ako sa space sa harap niya.

He started driving and after a while, huminto kami sa park na malapit sa school namin.

May lalaking sumalubong sa amin when we arrived. I'm not sure kung sino 'yon but as far as I remember, driver yata nila 'yon.

"Sir, ito na po yung pinapadala niyo." He handed him a basket and a mat.

"Sige, thank you. You can go now." He said and patted the guy on his shoulder.

Nilatag ni Brian sa grass yung mat then inalalayan niya akong umupo.

"Happy Valentine's ulit, love. Sorry kung dito lang date natin. Para kasing napuntahan na natin lahat eh." He said.

"Kaya nga eh. Pero okay din naman dito. This place is good." Sabi ko naman. Malinis kasi talaga 'tong park na 'to.

At dahil nga Valentine's ngayon, nag-lagay pa sila ng lightings sa mga puno kaya mas lalong maganda tingnan.

"Here, I bought that for you." He handed me a white paper bag and my hand automatically touched my mouth when I saw kung anong laman no'n.

"Oh my! Love, ito yung nakita kong shoes sa Lacoste kahapon ah!" Gosh! I really like to buy these yesterday pero nag-dalawang isip ako kasi I already bought a bag tsaka yung tatlong cute na dress na nakita ko sa Candie's

"Yeah. Na-kwento mo rin 'yan sa akin last night kaya pinabili ko agad sa assistant ko."

"Gosh! Thank you talaga, love!"

He opened his arms kaya naman I gave him a very tight hug.

Nilabas niya na yung mga laman ng basket na dala niya. Halos lahat yata ng favorite ko, dala niya.

"It 's getting late. Hatid na kita?" He said after we ate ang talked about random things.

"Okay, bike ulit tayo ah?"

"Oo naman."

He rode his bike again while me, I sent Veera a message bago sumakay.

To: Veera

Veera! Buy me anything na pwedeng i-regalo kay Brian! I'll pay you!

●●●

"We're here." Brian said then he stopped the bike in front of our house.

"Ahh. . . Love, pasok ka muna. You want something to drink?"

"Hindi na, Love. I gotta go na rin."

"H-Ha? O, sige. Hintayin mo na lang ako dito. Kukunin ko lang yung gift ko."

Pumasok na ako sa bahay then I immediately went to our room.

"Veera, where's the gift?" Sana naman matino yung gift na binili niya.

"O, here." She handed me a paper bag from Mint.

"Ano 'to?"

"Polo. Sale naman kaya dalawa binili ko."

"H-Ha? Why not something more expensive?!"

"Ay ang arte. Tsaka tinatamad akong mag-isip eh. Boyfriend ko ba 'yon?" She said sarcastically. Ugh! Si Veera talaga!

I just let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine! Bahala na nga!"

Iniwan ko na sa kama ko yung gift na binigay sa akin ni Brian then lumabas na ako ulit.

"Hey, Love. Here's my gift." I handed him the paper bag.

He looked at it. His forehead creased then he burst into laughter.

"O, bakit?" I asked confusingly.

Hinarap niya sa akin ang paper bag then he showed me the receipt. f**k!

"Buy one, take one?" Natatawang tanong niya.

"Ah. . . Haha." I faked a laugh. Ugh! Bakit ba hindi ko napansin 'yang bwiset na resibong 'yan! "Sorry."

"Love, It's okay. Okay nga lang rin kung walang gift. You're more than enough." He said with a warm smile.

"Sige na, I gotta go. Magpahinga ka na, okay?" He was about to leave pero I grabbed his arm and gave him a long and passionate kiss. We were both panting when we parted.

"Mas okay pala kung may kiss." He commented playfully.

"O, sige na. Magba-bike ka lang pauwi?"

"Hmm." He nodded.

"Sige, mag-ingat ka ha? Madilim na."

Nag-simula na siyang mag-bike at nang maka-alis siya, pumasok na rin ako sa bahay.

"Love, It's okay. Okay nga lang rin kung walang gift. You're more than enough."

I remembered him again. When he said that, it somehow pinched my heart.

I can feel it. Mahal na mahal ako ni Brian. Pero ako? Ewan. I can't even understand myself.

Fuck me for giving my boyfriend a crappy and shitty Valentine.